The present invention relates to a paraseptal splint for use in surgical nasal septoplasty and septovalvuloplasty.
It is known that functional or anatomical modifications of the nasal valve considerably alter nasal physiology and cause severe obstructive conditions.
Owing to the functional importance of this anatomical region, in recent years many surgical techniques have been developed to reestablish the physiological valvular angle, such as resection of the dorsal portion of the alar cartilages, chondrotomy of the junction between the triangular cartilage and the nasal septum, plastic surgery of the triangular cartilages, plastic surgery of the alar cartilages.
So-called paraseptal splints are conventionally used in nasal surgery. These paraseptal splints support the septum after septoplasties and also allow early tampon removal and control of axial alignment of the reconstructed septum and at the same time reduce the risk of septal hematoma.
Currently available paraseptal splints are made of biocompatible material, generally Teflon, and are shaped substantially like an ellipse which is divided into two portions by a cut which runs through the body of the splint and affects almost all of its major axis. These splints are meant to be arranged in the nasal fossae paraseptally on both surfaces of the septal mucous membrane.
Although these splints effectively support the nasal septum, they are ineffective as regards any interaction on the triangular cartilage and scarcely effective in the valvular region as a whole.
The use of these splints has furthermore pointed out some problems, such as the possibility of lesions of the mucous membranes of the patient during insertion and extraction, reduced maneuverability of said splints, and difficulty in achieving the overlap of the two portions of the posterior region of the splint during insertion.